Letter to my Senator

Here's some correspondence between myself and a senator of the great state of arkansas.

EDIT: This was spell checked before it was sent :)

The first email was a form email, and was simply asking her if she supported the AWB. I was ambigious whether or not i supported it, very careful of my language.

September 16, 2004

Mr. Lyndsy Simon
xxx x xxx xxx
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

Dear Lyndsy:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the ban on the manufacture of
assault weapons.

As you may know, the assault weapons manufacturing ban, enacted by
Congress in 1994, expired on September 13. I supported the 1994 ban as a
member of the House of Representatives and voted for legislation to extend
this ban because I believe the existing, narrowly-defined ban has made a
significant impact on the number of crimes committed with these types of
weapons.

Law enforcement officers across Arkansas requested that Congress extend
the ban, and I believe these brave men and women deserve our support to
reduce violent crime in our state. The 1994 ban in no way infringes on
the rights of law-abiding individuals, and I will continue to support a
simple extension of this law. I appreciate knowing your views on this
important issue. Rest assured, I will remember your support for an
extension of the 1994 assault weapons ban if this issue is addressed by
the Senate in the future.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If I can be of further assistance to
you, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,

Blanche L. Lincoln

BLL/tm

Here's my reply:

Ms. Lincoln:

Your assumptions regarding my views are incorrect. The AWB was a
worthless piece of legislation that not only had no impact whatsoever
on violent crime, but restricted the rights of every american that owns
a firearm. Perhaps you should read the full text of the bill. While I
do not support a ban on the manufacture - not purchase, possession, or
use, but manufacture - of such cosmetic features as a bayonet lug,
flash suppressors, or a collapsible stocks, my primary concern is the
portion dealing with "large capacity" magazines. This portion of the
bill effects not only "assault rifles", but also handguns. As a result
of this legislation, law-abiding Americans were forced to spend hundreds
of dollars to buy "pre-ban" magazines, capable of holding 12 to 15
rounds. These magazines, along with every other item covered by the
AWB, were never banned, the price simply increased.

Furthermore, I contest that not a single criminal was detered by this
bill. In fact, I would assert that it has caused more of the weapons
defined as "assault weapons" to be in the hands of law-abiding
Americans. As a result of this ban's passage and signing into law,
many thousands of people rushed out to purchase weapons that would be
uneffected by the bill. A similar case would be the recent passage of
a bill to ban .50 calibre rifles in California. As a result, more .50
BMG rifles were sold in the day following its passage than were sold
throughout the entire country the previous month. This information was
obtained from a manufacturer, and you can see it for yourself at
http://www.serbu.com. As you can see, bans on specific weapons are not
only unconstitutional, but ineffective, and counterproductive.

In conclusion, I am frankly quite troubled by your disregard of the
United States Constitution. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary
to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and
bear Arms, shall not be infringed." A ban on a class of weapons
certainly constitutes infringement. Therefore, until such time that
your voting records shows a proper respect for the documents our
government is built upon, I cannot in good conscience vote for you.

Thank you for your time,
Lyndsy Simon
Simon Photography

Further correspondence will be posted here. Please, contact your representatives, if you don't let them know what they are doing wrong, they cannot change it. I've met some of these people in person, and I truly believe that logical, well-written comments have the power to way our elected officials.

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MP5

September 19, 2004, 07:56 AM

The 1994 ban in no way infringes on
the rights of law-abiding individuals

Yipes! Another reminder of how ignorant our putative leaders are. Thanks for setting that guy straight.

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